Valve



y 1942- J. D. MATTIMORE 2,283,076

VALVE Filed Oct. 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. John D. Mommore y mM ATTORNEY.

May 12, 1942. J. D. MATTIMORE 2,283,076

VALVE Filed Oct. 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

- V 4 -'IIIIIIIIIIIIA FIG. 4

INVENTOR. John D. Mottimore ATTORNEY.

Patented May 12, 1942 vALvE John D. Mattimore, Greensburg, 1 a, assignorto Walworth Patents Inc., Boston, Mass, a corporation of MassachusettsApplication October 1, 1940, Serial No. 359,217

8 Claims.

This invention relates to valves and more particularly to wrought metalvalves of welded construction.

Wrought metal valves, such as globe and gate valves, made largely bywelding the parts together, have been proposed to overcome variousdeficiencies of those with parts joined together by means .of bolts orthreads. Considerable improvement in prevention of leakage has resultedfrom these welded constructions. The design of such valves has, however,followed closely upon that of standard gate and globe valves which wereoriginally constructed of cast metal parts. The cost of shaping thewr'ought parts composing welded valves of conventional design and of theextensive welding required to fabricate the structure has impeded thedevelopment of such valves. Moreover, the greater percentage of weldedvalves which have been utilized have been designed for low pressureconditions in which steel valves are required mainly for resistance tostresses'and shocks imposed by means external to the piping. Suchconditions are encountered by valves used in naval vessels, for example.

It is thus evident that little consideration has heretofore been givento welded valves for service under the severe conditions imposed by highpressures and high temperatures jointly encountered. The heavy sectionsinvolved and the difficulties of producing pressure-tight welds for suchservice conditions have discouraged previous attempts to develop weldedvalves of conventional type for these conditions. Nevertheless, in thefield of high-pressure, high-temperature steam power plant piping ademand has always existed for improved valves utilizing developments inwelding technique.

Conventional cast gate valves have been offered for these services andthe expedient of replacing all bolted joints with welded joints has beentried. While tendency to leakage and weight have thus been reduced, theincentive for further examination of the subject still exists in view ofrequirements for lighter and less costly structures. An added spur isthe demand for similar reduction in weight and bulk of these valvestructures which are proposed for even more severe service conditions inthe process of development.

coincidentally, with the developments in this field there is an evenstronger demand in the field of marine power piping for lighter valvestructures for high-pressure, high-temperature conditions which are forthe first time being extensively used for marine propulsion. Instationary power plant practice excessive weight involves more initialcost and more expensive supports, but in marine power plants excessivevalve weight, also reduces the useful load which can be carried by thevessel.

Hence, in view of the complicated mode of fabrication required, and theinsuflicient weight reduction which resulted from attempts to utilizestandard casting forms .in wrought metal welded valve constructions,such designs were not followed in seeking a solution to the problemhereinbefore described. It was felt that a departure from the customarygate and globe type valve might lend itself more readily to thecontemplated fusion welding technique and provide the simplicity ofconstruction, together with the reduction in weight, which was sought.It is, therefore, one of the objects of this invention to provide awrought metal valve construction particularly adapted for fabrication bywelding the parts together.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the weight of the valve toa minimum.

Another object of the invention is to avoid the use of complicated andunnecessarily massive conformations.

Another object of the invention is to reduce pressure drop through thevalve and avoid turbulence and eddy currents in the valve passages.

Another object of the invention is to prevent distortion of the valveseat and associated parts due to the use of welded connections.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate all possible sources ofleakage by avoiding the support for the pipes in which the valve issecured without causing distortion of the valve seat.

Other objects of the invention will become ap- I parent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of a valveembodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of the valveshown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a modified form ofvalve, and

Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a further modifiedform of valve.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the valve shown in Figs. 1and 2 includes a tubular body portion In preferably formed of of thevalve seat member.

wrought metal having a smooth bore I2 providing an inlet opening I4 atone end of the body and an outlet opening I6 at the other. The portionof the bore lying between the inlet and outlet openings defines a flowpassage through the valve and the exterior surfaces at the ends may bebeveled as at I! for connecting pipe sections thereto. It will beunderstood that these ends may be provided with threads or flangesshould such well-known type of connection be desired. The inlet openingI4 is provided with a valve seat member I8 of tubular form and having ahead 20 at the outer end engaging with the shoulder 22 of a threadedcounter-bore 24 formed in the inlet opening I4. The valve seat member I8is guided in the bore I2 by a portion 26 extending from the head 20 andclosely engaging the wall of the bore.

Extending inwardly from the portion 2a of the valve seat is a taperedportion 28 terminating in a reduced end 30 defining a shoulder 32. Thebore of the valve seat I8 has a tapered portion 34 converging inwardlyfrom adjacent the head 20 to form a junction with the throat portion 36A tapered valve seat 38 may be formed on the inner end of the throatportion 36 and surfaced with a suitable hard material if desired. Itwill be observed that the throat portion 36 has a bore of relativelysmaller area than the flow passage through the valve but issubstantially concentric therewith. In order to retain the valve seatmember I8 in position, a threaded annular retaining member 40 engageswith the counterbore 24 and may be secured to the valve seat member I8by welding, as at 42. Preferably, the bore of the annular member 40 istapered, as indicated at 44, to form a continuation of the tapered bore34 of the valve seat member I8.

The valve member, in this embodiment of the invention, comprises chieflya generally cylindrical tail piece 46 and a head 48. These members maybe operatively secured together by the provision of a T-shapedprojection 60 on the tail piece 46 which engages with a complementalslot 52 formed in the head 48. The head 48 is smaller in diameter thanthe tail piece 46 and is adapted to carry a sleeve 54 closely engagingtherewith and projecting beyond the slotted end to overlie a reducedportion 56 of the tail piece which defines a shoulder 58 thereon. Thegeneral purpose of this construction is to permit the head 48 to rockabout the axis of the tail piece 46 and adapt itself in approximateseating relationship with the valve seat 38. Thus, the surface 58 of theprojection 50 which engages with the head 48 when the valve member isbeing seated may be ball-faced and clearance is provided between theslot and the projection for the same purpose. The valve seat engagingsurface 6I of the head 48 may also be faced with hard material.

A guide for the valve member is provided in the form of a sleeve 60which'is press-fitted upon the surface 30 of the valve seat member I8and projects therefrom into the flow passage through the body. Thesleeve 60 is spaced from the wall of the fiow passage and has aplurality of slots 62 extending therethrough adjacent the valve seat 38and forming a passage for fluid from the valve seat to the flow passage.

A valve stem 64 extends transversely through one wall of the body Iintermediate the ends thereof, and is provided with a bearing end 66journaled within a socket 68 formed partly through the opposite wall.The tail piece 46 of the valve member through which the stem 64 alsoextends is provided with an enlarged opening 10 for its reception. Aportion of the valve stem within the opening I0 carries an eccentric orcam I2 adapted to engage the walls of an enlargement I4 formedintermediate the ends of opening I0. The eccentric I2 may be securedagainst rotation on the valve stem 64 by the provision of a flat side 16on the valve stem engaging with a non-circular opening in the eccentricI2, but other wellknown methods may be used.

A tubular valve bonnet I8 may enclose that portion of the valve stem 64projecting from the valve body I0 and be secured within a bore providedtherefor in the valve body. As shown in the drawings-seal welding may beused at the junction 82. A yoke member 83 is carried by the bonnet l8and is conveniently secured thereto by welding as at 84. The yoke 83 isprovided with projections 86 extending from opposite sides thereof andcarrying bolts 88 engaging with a suitable packing gland 80. The packinggland is adapted to compress packing 82 around the stem 64 in the usualmanner when the pressure is applied to the gland by means of the nuts 84carried by the bolts 88.

The yoke member 82 terminates in a housing 86 within which the valveoperating mechanism is carried in operative engagement with the valvestem 66 which extends therein. A suitable handwheel 88 may be secured onthe shaft I00 of the mechanism projecting from the housing 86 andproviding means for rotating the valve stem. It will be understood thatthe valve operating mechanism carried in the housing 86 may be dispensedwith and the handwheel 88 placed directly on the valve stem or,alternatively, that the device may be arranged for power operation.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the tubular valve body I02 isadapted to receive, at the inlet end, a tubular valve seat member I04having an exterior diameter substantially equal to the diameter of thebody and being provided with a reduced portion I06 projecting into theflow passage.' The shoulder I08 formed by the junction of the reducedportion I06 with the valve seat member I04 extends in proximate relationwith the end of the valve body and is welded thereto as at I08. Thevalve seat member I04 is provided with a thickened portion IIO adjacentits inner end and extending into the flow passage to form a valve seatII2 therein. The contour of the thickened portion IIO from the valveseat outwardly is preferably in the form of a gradual curve inducingstreamline flow and merging into an entrance portion I I4 havingsubstantially the same bore as the pipe section to which the valve bodyis adapted to be secured.

A valve member H6 is provided which, in this instance, is a one-piececonstruction having a blunt head portion I I 8 cooperating with thevalve seat -I I2 and an elongated tail portion I20 extending into theflow passage. The valve member I I6 is supported and guided in the flowpassage in substantially concentric relation therewith by means of theprojection I22 extending from the inner wall of the valve body I02. Thevalve member II6 may be provided with a valve stem I24 of similar formto that described in general in the previous embodiment. In thisinstance, however, the bearing portion I26 of the valve stem may bereceived within a separate socket I28 secured in the wall of the bodyI02 by welding, as at I30. The operation of the valve member II6 to andfrom its seat II 2 through the medium of the cam or eccentric I3Icarried thereon was fully described in connection with the foregoingembodiment and further description at this point is deemed unnecessary.As in the foregoing instance both the seat H2 and the engaging portion II8 may be hard surfaced.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the valve body I32 is of diiferentform from'that described in connection with the foregoing embodiments ofthe invention. In this instance, the valve body I32 has a flow passageI34 of larger diameter than the bore of the pipe to which the body isadapted to be connected. The outlet end I36 of this body is, however,reduced to substantially the same diameter as the bore of the pipe andis of substantially the same wall thickness as the pipe. The inlet endI38 of the body, in this instance, is reduced to substantially the samediameter as the outside diameter of the pipe. Such inlet I38 receivestherein a tubular valve seat member I40 and secured thereto as bywelding at I42. The valve seat member in this instance has a bore I44 ofsubstantially the same diameter as the pipe to which it is adapted to beconnected so that it is also substantially equal in diameter to theoutlet I36.

The valve seat I40 carries a sleeve 60 similar in all respects to theone described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and towhich a similar reference numeral is applied. This sleeve 60 also formsa guide and a support for a valve member of similar construction to thatutilized in connection with the preceding embodiment wherefor similarreference numerals have been used to designate the similar parts. As thedescription of these parts and the valve stem construction wouldobviously involve mere repetition over what has been statedhereinbefore, further detailed description is deemed unnecessary. Itwill be understood, however, that the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 as wellas that in Fig. 4 may include operating mechanism similar to thatdescribed in connection with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and thatthey are equally adapted for manual or power operation.

When the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is connected in a pipe lineeither by welding or by the other well-known modes previously mentioned,it will be apparent that the valve stem can be rotated to move theeccentric thereon to actuate the.valve member toward and away from itsseat within the flow passage. The passage from the pipe at the inlet endto that at the outlet end is obstructed to a minimum extent by the valvemember and its operating means within the valve body. Consequently, astreamlined member projecting from said valve seat around flowwithoutundue turbulence or eddy currents results. The change in velocityof the fluid is lessened by the use of the construction and the pressuredrop is reduced.

The annular passage around the guide sleeve in the flow passage can bemade substantially equal in area to the throat portion of the valveseat. This relation between the annulus and throat areas can be variedas required. In cases where the degree of pressure drop is not importantconsiderable reduction can be made without otherwise detracting from theefficiency of the valve. Hence, the valve presents considerableflexibility to variations in proportion of parts for different services.Particularly does the construction lend itself to fabrication" bywelding, as will be apparent, thus facilitating a marked reduction inweight over prior constructions.

I claim:

1. A valve, comprising a wrought metal tubular body portion providing aninlet and an outlet at opposite ends and having a flow passage extendinguniformly through the body therebetween, a tubular valve seat memberprojecting into the inlet end of said tubular body and being secured insealing engagement therewith, the bore of said valve seat beingsubstantially concentric with the flow passage but of reduced area, arotatable valve stem supported in one side of the wall of said tubularbody and projecting transversely across said passage through theopposite side of said wall, a tubular valve bonnet enclosing said stemand having sealing engagement with said wall around the projecting endof said stem, a valve member on said stem having an elongated body ofstreamlined form in axial alignment with the valve seat, said valvemember being spaced from the wall of said tubular body portion fordefining an annular flow area in said flow passage beyond the valveseat, a sleeve said valve member forming a guide and support therefor,said valve having a port affording communication between said flow areaand the bore of said tubular valve seat member, and means operablebetween said stem and valve member to reciprocate the latter into andout of engagement with the seat along the axis of said flow passage uponrotation of said stem.

2. A valve, comprising a wrought metal tubular body portion providing aninlet and an outlet at opposite ends and having a flow passage extendinguniformly through the body therebetween, a tubular valve seat memberprojecting into the inlet end of said tubular body and being secured insealing engagement therewith, the

bore of said valve seat being substantially concentric with the flowpassage but of reduced area, a rotatable valve stem extendingtransversely across said flow passage and projecting exteriorly througha side wall of said body, a tubular valve bonnet enclosing said stem andhaving sealing engagement with said side wall, a valve member on saidstem, said valve member including a tail piece and a head, said tailpiece being loosely mounted on the stem and having driving connectionwith said head, a sleeve extending from said valve seat around the valvemember forming a guide and support therefor, and means operable betweensaid stem and tail piece to reciprocate the head into and out ofengagement with the seat along the axis of said flow passage uponproviding an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends and having a flowpassage extending uniformly through the body therebetween, a tubularvalve seat member projecting into the inlet end of said tubular body, arotatable valve stem extending transversely across said flow passage andprojecting exteriorly through a side wall of said body, a valve tailpiece loosely mounted on said stem and having a driving connectionthereon, a valve head mounted on said driving connection and bemgadapted to engage said valve seat, a sleeve projecting from said valveseat member around the valve head and tail piece and being spaced fromthe wall of said tubular body portion for defining a flow area in saidflow passage beyond the valve seat, said sleeve having a port thereinaffording communication between said flow area and the bore of saidtubular valve seat member, and means operable between said stem and tailpiece to reciprocate the valve head into and 0110 of engagement with thescat upon rotation of said stem.

4. A valve, comprising a tubular body portion providing an inlet and anoutlet at opposite ends and having a flow passage extending uniformlythrough the body therebetween, a tubular valve seat member projectinginto the inlet end of said tubular body, a rotatable valve stemextending transversely across said flow passage and projectingexteriorly through a side wall of said body, a valve tail piece havingan aperture therethroughin which said stem is loosely received, aT-shaped projection on the end of said tail piece adjacent said valveseat member, a valve head having a complementary slot for looseengagement with said projection on the tail piece and being adapted toengage said 'valve seat, a collar extending across the junction betweensaid tail piece and valve head for maintaining engagement therebetween,said tail piece, valve head and collar forming an elongated body ofstreamlined form within the flow passage, a sleeve member mounted onsaid valve seat and projecting therefrom around said elongated bodyforming a guide and support therefor, and a cam element carried by saidstem within said aperture in the tail piece and engageable with the wallthereof to reciprocate said valve head into and out of engagement withsaid valve seat upon rotation of the stem.

5. A valve, comprising a tubular body portion providing an inlet and anoutlet at opposite ends and having a flow passage extending uniformlythrough the body therebetween, a tubular valve seat member projectinginto the inlet end of said tubular body, the bore of said valve seatbeing substantially concentric with the flow passage but of reducedarea, a rotatable valve stemextending transversely across said flowpassage and projecting exteriorly through a side wall of said body, avalve tail piece loosely mounted on said stem and having a drivingconnection thereon, a valve head loosely mounted on said tail piece andadapted for engagement with said valve seat, said valve head and tailpiece forming an elongated body of streamlined form within the flowpassage, a sleeve extending from the valve seat around the valve headand tail piece forming a guide and support therefor, said sleeve beingspaced from the wall of said tubular body portion for defining anannular flow area in said flow passage beyond the valve seat, a port insaid sleeve affording communication between said flow area and the valveseat bore, and a cam element carried by said stem within the tail pieceto reciprocatesaid valve head into and out of engagement with said valveseat upon rotation of portion being reduced at one end to form an outletof substantially the same diameter as the bore of said pipe and at theother end reduced to form a welding connection of substantially the samebore as the outside diameter of said pipe, a tubular valve seat memberprojecting into the last named end of said body and secured to thewelding connection, said valve seat member providing an inlet to saidflow passage having a bore substantially equal in diameter to that ofthe pipe to which it is adapted for connection, the bore of said valveseat being substantially concentric with the flow passage, a rotatablevalve stem extending transversely across said flow passage andprojecting exteriorly through a side wall of said body, a tubular valvebonnet enclosing said stem and having sealing engagement with said sidewall, a valve member on said stem in axial alignment with the valve seatand defining an annular flow area in said flow passage beyond the valveseat, a sleeve extending from said valve seat around the valve memberforming a uide and support therefor, said valve having a port affordingcommunication between said flow area and the bore of said tubular valveseat member and means operable between said stem and valve member toreciprocate the latter into and out of engagement with the seat alongthe axis of said flow passage upon rotation of said stem.

7. A valve, comprising a wrought metal tubular body portion providing aninlet and an outlet at opposite ends and having a flow passage extendinguniformly through the body therebetween, a tubular valve seat memberprojecting into the inlet end of said tubular body, a rotatable valvestem extending transversely across said flow passage and projectingexteriorly through a side wall of said body, a tubular valve bonnetenclosing said stem, a valve member on said stem, an apertured sleevemember carried by said valve seat and projecting into said flow passageforming a guide and support for said valve member, said sleeve memberbeing paced from the wall of said tubular body for defining an annularflow area in said flow passage beyond the valve seat, and means operablebetween said stem and valve member to reciprocate the latter into andout of engagement with the seat along the axis of said flow passage uponrotation of said stem.

8. A valve, comprising a body portion providing an inlet and an outletat opposite ends and having a flow passage extending uniformly throughthe body therebetween, a valve seat member projecting into the inlet endof said body, a rotatable valve stem extending into'said flow passageand projecting exteriorly through a side wall of said body, a valve tailpiece loosely mounted on said stem and having a driving connectionthereon, a valve head loosely mounted on said driving connection andbeing adapted to engage said valve seat, a collar extending across thejunction of said tail piece and head for maintaining engagementtherebetween, and means operable between said stem and tail piece toreciprocate the valve head into and out of engagement with the seat uponoperation of said stem.

JOHN D. MATTIMORE.

